


About Time

by MagicalPossibilities



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Cheating, magic baby
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-04-07 12:56:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14081400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicalPossibilities/pseuds/MagicalPossibilities
Summary: Regina returns to Storybrooke with Henry, Lucy, Ella, and Zelena a year after the curse in Hyperion Heights is broken. Hoping to reunite with the rest of their family and continue living their lives in the small town becomes more complicated than they'd thought as an unexpected truth is revealed to Regina about Emma's child. What will this mean for them and their family as they address their past and try to move forward?*Rated M for the next chapter and probably a future chapter.





	About Time

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, everyone!
> 
> So, it's been a while since I've posted a fic but this idea popped into my head a couple weeks ago and I couldn't let it go. It takes place a year after the curse is broken in Hyperion Heights. The story focuses more on Regina and Emma, their past, and moving forward, so I don't go into a lot of detail about the Hyperion Heights events. I also created my own timeline because the show's is too complicated to figure out at this point. I hope mine makes some sense. It'll be explained more in the story but I'll give you some important info here before we start. FYI Snow and Charming had twin boys while Henry was in high school. Also, I didn't think I'd be one to write a magic baby/kid fic, but here we are, because I imagined this little girl meeting Regina for the first time and could not stop myself from telling their story. I hope you all enjoy! It's angsty, but don't worry, there will be plenty of fluff and happiness. This chapter is very long because I didn't want to end it without Emma making an appearance, but I also had to set everything up before that. Planning for it to be 5-6 chapters. Thanks for reading and please let me know if you like it/I should keep writing it. 
> 
> Timeline:  
> Time passes differently in Storybrooke than the other Enchanted Forest. Regina has been away for almost 7 years Storybrooke time making it 2028 in Storybrooke. For the Hyperion Heights crew that were cursed to 2017 HH and then time traveled back to present, they feel like it’s been 13 years since Regina joined Henry and Emma went back to Storybrooke. For Regina-10 years in the other Enchanted Forest with Henry. About 2 years in HH past. About 1 year back in the other Enchanted Forest. Zelena and Robin left to find Regina a few months after Emma had her baby, so Robin was almost 7 and would now be about 19 and living with Alice in Seattle after returning to the other Enchanted Forest and leaving again with their magical, upgraded paperwork that Henry did not magically upgrade (as briefly discussed in the first chapter). Emma and Snow are about 44. Emma's child is 6. Regina and Zelena still look and feel like they're around 40. Other ages will be discussed in the chapter.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time.

The portal opens near the Storybrooke town line and then it disappears, leaving Regina, Henry, Ella, Lucy, and Zelena behind with one bag and one piece of luggage each. It’s quiet and still except for a gentle breeze that wisps through the air and lingers around the birds singing to each other up in the trees along the road. They’re back. Home.

Brown eyes drift to the line a few feet away. Red and bold; not the least bit faded after  forty years as it still hides and separates the town of tangible magic from the land that is typically without it. The line that sometimes (rarely) managed to be crossed by those going, seeking, and almost always returning. Because no matter how far away you traveled, it always seemed to pull back anyone that belonged on the other side of it. It’s magical reach possibly extending even to those who left for other realms.

Memories flicker through Regina’s mind as she stands there getting her bearings. It’s one of those rare times where Roni’s memories are silent. She remembers road trips to Boston and New York throughout the years. She remembers the nerves in her belly and the way she’d clutched the steering wheel—excited, doubtful, scared, hopeful—as she’d left to meet her infant son and then brought him home. She remembers the panic that rose within her ten years later when she couldn’t find him in the small town, only to discover several hours later, that he had managed to cross the line to find his birth mother and bring her back to their cursed family.  She remembers a tearful goodbye a little over a year after that, filled with the ache and emptiness of losing her son…and Emma.

Emma.

Regina remembers sitting in the passenger seat of the yellow Bug once she’d gotten Henry and Emma back. Driving over the red line with Emma multiple times—together. The comfortable silence that was broken every now and then by easy conversation and tentative smiles that grew bigger; brighter. The tension that sometimes attempted to suffocate those moments due to worry for their son…or falling victim to the complicated thoughts in their own minds…or the reminders of significant others still in the picture.

And she remembers all of the almosts between them.

The words that were shared but never spoken aloud.

Trembling fingers that pulled back before they could lace together.

An embrace that was held by their eyes but never their arms.

Lips that tingled and beckoned but never tasted each other.

Hearts that never dared to ask for more…

Until they did.

“Mom,” Henry’s familiar voice pulls her back; deeper, yet somehow still that of her little prince. He’s reaching out to touch her arm, almost like he knows what she’s thinking, or at least part of it. “We’re here. Home. ”

His smile is small and a little hesitant (so much like one of Emma’s that had just crossed her memories); the same mix of relief and tentativeness that flutters through her own stomach. That feeling of wanting desperately to be here but not knowing how to be somewhere you haven’t been in so many years. Not knowing exactly what you’re coming back to. Whom.

She reaches for his hand and covers it. Tightens her fingers around his. Does her best to smile, though they both know there’s too much effort behind it. “Home,” she repeats the word with a heavy breath.

“Dad, here,” Lucy interrupts them, pulling an iPhone out of one of the smaller compartments of the navy backpack that rests over her shoulder.

The energy and excitement within her is palpable. Regina recognizes how eager she is to see the place her father had grown up and meet the members of her family that she’s only read and heard stories about.

“Oh, thanks, Luce,” He smiles, taking it from her. “Mom, it may need a bit of a magical jumpstart. It hasn’t been charged since we left Hyperion Heights.”

“Right,” Regina says, lifting it into her own hand and using the other to magically give the battery some power. The screen flashes on, showing the trademark apple as it loads. Then, Lucy and Ella’s smiling faces are grinning up at her from the display. “It’s two-thirty on Friday August 11, 2028,” she announces to the group after reading the time and date.

There’s an audible sigh of relief from everyone. They’ve made it to the right place, and more importantly, the right time. Not that there was much doubt that they wouldn’t get it right, but coming from a realm where time passed differently, always did leave the possibility for tricky travel or just bad math done by Regina and Henry when trying to figure out exactly what year they were coming back to. As they’d (correctly) expected, though, it’s been close to seven Storybrooke years since Regina had stayed with Henry, while Emma and Hook had returned to the little town.

“Does this mean I’m thirty-five or twenty-seven?” Henry half-jokes from beside her.

Regina rolls her eyes with a bemused chuckle, hearing his quip but seeing the genuine question in his eyes.

“Twenty-seven!” Zelena passionately exclaims from the other side of Regina. “Always younger! Have I taught you nothing?”

Henry shakes his head and chuckles an apology at his aunt, but his expectant gaze returns to Regina hoping she has a serious answer.

 “True age can be difficult to determine when you’ve spent a significant amount of time in multiple realms with drastic differences in the way time passes,” Regina states, mulling it over, “But twenty-seven would be easiest in this world, since legally, it’s how old you’d be according to your birth certificate.”

“Twenty-seven, it is!” Henry announces happily, pumping a fist in the air.

“No fair,” Ella smacks him playfully. “I’m still thirty-two.”

“What I wouldn’t give to be thirty-two again,” Zelena sighs with a wink at Regina.

“Says someone who’s barely aged thanks to whatever the strange effects of that curse were,” Regina reminds her with a mostly amused shake of her head. “Be thankful neither of us looks or feels like we’re over fifty yet.”

“That’s because we’re fabulous,” Zelena sing-songs, before she gasps with elation. “Wait until I get pulled over for speeding by a good-looking cop. Can’t wait to stun them into silence with my gorgeous, ‘over ten years younger than the birthdate on my license’ looks.”

“You _would_ look forward to getting pulled over,” Regina mutters as she rubs her forehead, trying to summon up some patience. “Speeding is not someth—”

“Oh no,” Zelena interrupts with a frown, apparently not listening to Regina at all. “I just remembered we’re in Storybrooke. Emma will probably be the only one pulling me over. Can’t stun her into silence. Well, not unless I have a little fun and turn myself into you, Sis.”

Regina’s jaw drops before she can stop it. “You will do know such thing,” she warns her older sister with a glare. “You’ve learned from past mistakes. Surely, you know how wrong that is.”

“Gods, Regina, you act like I’m talking about seducing her. All it would take is a wink from you to make her speechless. I’d have my fun and reveal myself in under ten seconds,” Zelena elaborates unabashedly.

“I still won't allow it. Besides, you seem to have forgotten that _Emma_ is married,” Regina reminds with a sharp look.

“It’s been over six years, we don’t know that for sure,” Zelena points out, then scoffs, “Not that the whole marriage thing ever got her to take her eyes off of you before.”

Looking up at the sky, Regina draws in a breath, and then looks back to her sister. “Can we not?”

“Very well,” Zelena acquiesces, her blue eyes becoming more serious as they soften; communicating to Regina that she was never going to cross the line that they both know is there. She understands what Emma has meant and continues to mean to Regina, and she recognizes where the boundary of poking fun ends and actually opening raw wounds and hurting her sister begins. “So, now that we’re here, where shall we go first?”

 “Snow,” Regina answers almost immediately, sounding so certain. “We find Snow.”

Henry’s intent eyes are on her and she can’t help but meet them. She expects to see questions and confusion, because why Snow, why not Emma? His mother, her (former) best friend? Shouldn’t they find her first? Let her know they’re back and alive after seven years with no communication? But that’s not what he looks to her with. Instead, his eyes are all too knowing and he squeezes the arm he’s kept his hand on, letting her know he’s there with her; he gets it. Maybe he even feels the same or similarly. After all, Emma left them in another realm almost seven years ago to come back here and start her new family. Who knows if she’s missed them or even thought of them in that time?

Regina’s eyes close in a long blink as she mentally shakes her head; the truth tugging at her heart.

_She has._

She knows Emma too well even now. And she can feel it. Especially, when they’re finally so close to one another again. There’s no way Emma had just moved on and forgotten them. They were family. Perhaps, they still are. Or at least can be again. Though, she isn’t sure if she’s ready for that, regardless of how something inside of her aches for it the way it used to.

“You’re sure?” Zelena brings Regina’s attention back to her when the silence drags on for too long, leveling her blue eyes at her sister. Like Henry’s, though, there aren’t any other questions or judgements in them. Care and concern and a silent suggestion that holds an unspoken whisper of _Emma_ , but nothing more. Zelena and Henry know her almost as well as she knows herself, and the three of them understand the need her son and older sister feel in this moment to make sure Regina is being honest with herself. They’re all aware she would have gone straight to Emma in the past, and only want to be sure this is what she truly wants. After all, she’d been a team with Emma. They’d been partners.

“Snow,” Regina gives a firm nod. “We need to catch each other up on…well, everything. Besides,” she looks down at Lucy, “If I know your great-grandmother, she’ll already be hurt that we’ve been back here for five minutes and I didn’t think to poof her here right away to meet Henry’s family.”

Lucy giggles, and Henry lets out his own chuckle and agreement of “True” as he reaches over to take Ella’s hand in his with a smile. “She’s probably going to want to give us a second wedding with the rest of our family there.”

“I like that idea,” Lucy beams from beside her mother, deep brown eyes shining bright.

“We’ll see,” Ella runs an olive hand through her daughter’s long, dark hair, not sounding completely opposed.

There had been some discussion about Henry and Ella getting married for a second time after the curse had been broken in Hyperion Heights a year ago. They didn’t have an official marriage license in this world and Henry wasn’t legally Lucy’s father either. That had been put on hold, however, after they’d decided to travel back to the land they’d come from with Queen Tiana to restore whatever devastation had been caused by the curse. Once the Enchanted Forest that had been Ella’s home had begun prospering again, Lucy had mentioned that she missed this world, and that had started a discussion about moving back to Storybrooke. Or really, it had started a debate about going back to Seattle, until Henry revealed that he missed the town he’d grown up in and the rest of his family. _Haven’t we been away for too long? Knowing Grams and Gramps, I could have several new aunts and uncles by now. Neal and the twins could even have kids already_ , he’d half-joked, then added that Storybrooke had always given him inspiration to write and he’d like to take another swing at the author thing.

Ella had agreed, thinking Storybrooke would be good for Lucy, too. A big, supportive, loving family in a town that held just the right amount of magic—it didn’t sound like a bad place to continue living the rest of their story. That was all it had taken to persuade Regina and Zelena into going with them. They wanted to be with their family and would go wherever Henry, Ella, and Lucy decided to make their home. Although, Zelena had mentioned that she would need some time away every now and then, and would be off traveling and visiting her daughter and Alice in Seattle a few times a year.

“All right,” Zelena exhales, “I suppose the next question is: are we going to walk to the Charmings’ or shall I poof us there?”

“Poof!” Lucy’s eyes light up with the excitement of an eleven year old girl, who is eager for adventure and the magic that she’d had to fight to believe in for the two years they’d been cursed.

Regina thinks it over quickly, a frown settling on her lips. “That might get too much attention. I’d like to be as discreet as possible, until we know how everything is here.”

“Snow and David’s farm is in the middle of nowhere, Regina,” Zelena reminds her. “It’s not like I’d be poofing us into the center of town. We can even appear right in the kitchen or living room; wherever you prefer,” Zelena offers with a pleading look in her tired, blue eyes. “I have heels on. A two mile hike into town won’t be fun.”

“She’s right; it is kind of far, Mom,” Henry says in agreement with his aunt. “And that’s not counting the half a mile we’d have to walk from Main Street to get to Grandma. Someone will definitely notice us.”

“If you don’t care about my feet or back, think of your own feet. And your granddaughter’s.” Zelena moves to put her hands on Lucy’s shoulders, drawing Regina’s attention away from Henry and over to the two of them instead. “Plus, she really wants to poof. It’s a big deal to an eleven year old. You could probably make it an early twelfth birthday present.”

Regina and Lucy roll their eyes in unison, though, Lucy is more amused than Regina and is trying very hard not to laugh at her grandmother’s sister, who is often dramatic and ridiculous, but also right, in this instance.

“Can we poof? Please, Nan?” Lucy beseeches Regina, who isn’t about to argue, when she knows she can never say no to the chocolate eyes that stare up at her own with such hopeful excitement. Not to mention, she’s purposely using the affectionate nickname she’d given Regina when she was four years old. Regina hadn’t wanted to be called Grandma before or after the curse, so Henry had deemed her Nana, until Lucy and Regina had both agreed that Nan felt more natural and would be their thing.

“We can,” Regina relents with a sigh, giving Lucy a small smile before she turns to Zelena. “But I’m doing the poofing. We need to end up inside the house and without anyone else catching on to our presence.”

 Zelena rolls her eyes in exasperation. “What? Am I not capable of such things all of a sudden? My magic is far from rusty.”

 “I know you’re capable…but I’m more experienced,” Regina replies assuredly, silently telling her sister to drop it, which a stubborn Zelena refuses to do.

“How so?”

“I’m able to sense everyone else’s individual magic from a mile away. No one else will notice we’re back yet. If someone is there or close by—”

“You think there may be a new villain of the week?” Henry asks becoming slightly on edge.

“That’s always possible,” Regina responds with some hesitation before she continues, “But I was referring to the townspeople—.”

This time, Zelena rolls her eyes loudly enough that the silent action interrupts Regina. “You’re benching me because of Swan? Wow, you really don’t want to see her, do you?”

Regina licks her lips, trying to remain calm and keep her face as impassive as possible. “I want to deal with one thing at a time. Seeing Snow first won’t be as…complicated.”

“Well, isn’t that the bloody truth,” Zelena snorts. “In case you’ve forgotten, I don’t need to share a son or be in love with her to feel her magic. It’s not like I’d poof you into her lap or something. Although, that may not be the worst idea, since I didn’t come back here to watch the two of you tiptoe around each other for another decade or two.”

“Zelena—” Regina finds herself closing her eyes again and taking a steadying breath.

The other three are smart enough to continue to remain quiet and not get involved in the sisters’ squabble.

“I know, I know,” Zelena sighs. “Over six years. Married. Kids. Happily ever after with the unreformed pirate. Whatever.”

“Finished?” Regina levels her eyes at Zelena. “May I poof us, now?”

“Fine. But what’s to stop her from picking up on the presence of your magic?” Zelena wonders. “Yours is practically a magnet for hers—or it was. It would probably take her longer to notice mine and realize what it means. We were never intimate the way you two were. ”

Everything stops. The entire world and everything around them halts for a moment as Zelena’s words register. Then, Henry clears his throat and Regina feels her cheeks growing warm.

Zelena groans, shaking her head in exasperation. “I meant our magic wasn’t! I wasn’t alluding to anything beyond what the connection between combined magic is like. That intimacy! Why the hell would I be clarifying that we never slept together?”

“You should stop talking,” Regina recovers just enough to warn her sister and glance over at Lucy to remind Zelena of the girl’s presence. Somehow, it’s easier for her to do that than try to look up at Henry, even though, they’d discussed his mothers’ relationship a long time ago, after he’d found Regina crying in the woods around their campsite one night.

“Sorry, Luce. Although, it’s their minds that are in the gutter,” Zelena waves a hand between Regina and Henry, before directing a silent apology towards Ella as well.

“She’s a big girl,” Ella reassures Zelena.

“And I knew how you meant it, Auntie,” Lucy adds from her place beside Zelena. “There are lots of kinds of intimacy.”

“Spoken like the smartest grand-niece ever,” Zelena commends proudly, pulling her into her side in a tight hug. “And just between us,” Zelena lowers her head to Lucy, dropping her voice, even though, it’s too quiet on the desolate road for everyone else not to hear. “If you ever find that with anyone, be it romantic or not, as long as you build each other up and make each other better and happy, hold on to them. Because that’s rare. Got it?”

Zelena holds Lucy’s eyes with her own, and Regina isn’t sure if she’s ever seen her sister this open and vulnerable in the way she’s being now, but she appreciates what she’s said to Lucy, even if Regina can feel how her heart has sunken into her stomach and tears have risen behind her eyes. It makes her wonder if Zelena is speaking in general, or if this is about Chad in San Francisco and his declaration that he’d wait over a decade for her to get in touch with him, or if she’s trying to throw a little bit of shade at Emma for not choosing to be with Regina and Henry. Either way, it yanks at Regina’s heart and forces her to glance over at the trees, so she can keep herself composed.

“Got it,” Lucy promises with a hug, and then the moment fades as Zelena takes Lucy’s hand in hers.

“Okay, Regina, if you insist on poofing us,” Zelena prompts with a comforting smile that says more than any words could in that moment, because she can easily read Regina and knows the reasons behind the storm of emotions in the brown eyes that meet hers. “But I don’t want to hear it when Emma bursts into her mother’s house in a panic wondering why she can suddenly feel your magic,” she teases and receives a half-hearted glare from her sister. “I can’t believe I’d forgotten how impossible you and Emma are, especially when it comes to each other.”

“How do you forget that?” Henry chuckles, and there’s a fondness clinging to the amusement in his words.

It’s the first thing he’s said in reference to Emma or his moms’ past, and it makes a tentative smile cross Regina’s lips as she finds his gaze. Her heart warms in a way she could never describe as he reminds her it wasn’t all bad; quite the contrary actually. It wasn’t everything it could have been, but it was good. They were a family. And for the first time there’s a genuine hopefulness in Regina that no matter what’s happened, and what she and Emma can or can’t be to each other now, Regina, Henry, and Emma can rebuild the family that had fallen apart.

She reaches for the hand Henry extends to her and then the five of them and their suitcases are being engulfed in smoke and disappearing.

The first thing Regina hears is a large gasp and the clanking, then rumbling vibration of metal hitting tile. The next thing she knows, familiar arms that she hasn’t felt in over a decade are around her and pulling her in. Regina hears Snow sniffle and feels her body tremble, and only then does she become aware of the tears that have slid down her own face. She’s crying, too. Her arms tighten around the other woman, holding her close; finally able to admit to herself how much she’s missed the rest of her family as she allows the emptiness of so many years apart to be felt, before it’s being replaced by the love and relief flowing warmly throughout her.

**

You’re back,” Snow murmurs against her in audible disbelief, then holds her even tighter when she becomes more convinced that Regina is actually there and not going to disappear. “Thank gods you’re back.” The words are louder this time, rough against the back of Snow’s throat as she says them in a relieved sigh that becomes more of a happy groan by the end. A second later, she’s pulling away from Regina, wiping at her cheeks, and laughing through more tears as Regina does the same. “I can’t believe you’re here! It’s been so long! We weren’t sure if we’d ever see you again.”

“I had no idea either,” Regina admits, grasping Snow’s hands. “But we’re here now. To stay.”

“Good,” Snow squeezes the hands holding hers with a smile. “You belong here. You and—”

It’s the first time she looks past Regina to see the others standing behind her. Her eyes widen before her smile brightens, and then she’s reaching out to Henry, who meets her halfway. “Henry,” she whispers, her hands lifting up to rest against his cheeks. “You look wonderful.”

His lips curve into a lopsided grin, before he’s bringing her into a hug and her forehead meets his shoulder. “You look great, too, Grandma.”

“I’ve missed you so much. I’m so glad you’re back. All of you. So much has happened since you left.”

Henry chuckles knowingly at that. “You’re telling me. I got married. _And_ I’m a dad.”

Snow hurries to pull back, meeting his eyes with shock and love and pride.

“This is Lucy.” He steps aside a bit, reaching out for his daughter, who takes his hand and practically skips over to meet her great-grandmother.

“Hi,” She smiles up at Snow, and Regina recognizes that it’s a little shy for Lucy but as soon as her great-grandmother is smiling at her, any nerves Lucy may have had seem to easily fade away. Before any of them know it, she’s flying into Snow’s arms that open automatically to embrace her. “I’ve been waiting to meet you for…like…ever! Especially, after I read Dad’s book. Nan’s told me so many stories about you, too.”

“Has she?” Snow glances over her shoulder to catch Regina’s eye with a tiny, tearful smirk, which is just long enough for Regina to catch the happiness and amazement that are overflowing in the other woman. “I always thought I made a strong impression on her. Sounds like I was right.”

Normally, Regina would have some witty retort in reply, but her throat is tight, her eyes are wet, and she feels completely overwhelmed by all of the emotions rushing through her. Lucy has always reminded her of Snow in a lot of ways, and now that they’re finally meeting, all Regina can do is take in the magnitude of the moment that she’d thought was unlikely to ever occur.

Henry interrupts their hug after a moment. “Grams, this is my wife, Ella.”

“It’s great to finally meet you,” Ella extends a hand but Snow pulls her into a hug instead.

“Welcome to Storybrooke and to the family,” Snow says with a warm smile before she’s pulling back and asking them where they met, how long they’ve been married, and how old Lucy is.

After a few minutes, Zelena interrupts. “If you don’t mind, Snow, I’m going to make us some tea, so we can all catch up the proper way.”

“That’s a good idea.” Snow’s smile is a bit embarrassed and apologetic as she looks at Zelena, who is only a couple of feet away from her. “It’s good to see you,” Snow adds sincerely, and they reach for each other in a quick hug. “Henry distracted me with his news.”

“No worries; I was the same way when he introduced me to his family,” Zelena tells her as she moves to make her way to the kitchen.

Regina can’t help but smile at that as she feels immense gratitude towards everyone who cares so much for her son and wants to know all the important details of his life. Once it had only been the two of them, and though it feels like a lifetime ago now, Regina remembers the way she’d vowed time and time again that she would be enough and would show Henry as much love as the biggest family in any world ever could. He deserved that. And she did love him as much and as well as she was able to. But he’d also ended up with so much more family than either of them could have ever dreamed of. They both did. And being back in Storybrooke makes that even clearer. It makes Regina so happy and thankful that her son was given so many people in his life to love and support him unconditionally.

“Regina, you’re too quiet,” Snow comments with a bit of concern.

She pulls herself out of her thoughts with a shake of her head and steps toward her family. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s a lot to take in,” Snow runs a hand along her arm as warm eyes look to her with understanding and reassurance. “But Zelena’s right, we should probably move to the kitchen. Sit down. Talk.”

Regina nods with a smile. “Yes, we should.”

Lucy and Ella leave their bags with their luggage, and turn to head in the direction Zelena had gone. Regina follows, fixing the hood of Lucy’s black sweatshirt as she gets closer to them.

“How’s Emma?” She suddenly hears Henry ask from where he and Snow are still standing in front of the door. The quiet question causes her to stop just outside of the kitchen.

“Emma’s good,” Snow tells him, and Regina can hear the genuine smile in her voice. “She’ll be more than happy to see you. _Both_ of you,” Snow adds a little louder as if she knows Regina is listening from the entrance to the kitchen. “And your family, of course. But like I said, Henry, a lot’s happened in the time you’ve been away. Some things turned out much differently than she or any of us expected,” Snow pauses for a long minute, which makes Regina wonder why she’s stopped talking, but then she hears the shaky breath Henry releases. “You should know that she’s missed you two every single day.”

Regina hears it—barely, but enough to make heat rise up behind her eyes and cause a lump to form in her own throat.

“I’ve missed her, too. So much,” he tells his grandmother lowly even after the attempt to clear his throat of the emotions drowning his voice.

“I know it may not mean anything right now, but there’s a lot that she wishes she could change.”

Regina doesn’t know how to take that or any of what Snow has said. She doesn’t know what any of it means really. But she feels something stir inside of her. It’s pained and nervous and troubling and jittery and…it scares her, but causes some odd sense of something like hope to flutter within her at the same time.

**

Two hours pass, and there’s lots of laughter, a few tears, so many stories, and multiple cups of tea and cocoa shared by the six people seated around Snow’s large kitchen table. Henry had had to bring in one of the wooden chairs from the dining room, but thankfully, adding the extra spot in the kitchen didn’t cause it to feel too crowded or squished.

“Oh my, it’s already five,” Snow interrupts on her way over to the sink to rinse out the mugs she and Lucy had been drinking from. “I’m supposed to meet David and the boys at Granny’s for dinner in half an hour. They’re at the stables—I’ll text David that you’re here. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if all of you joined us. I’m sure Noah and Zachary would love to see you, Henry.”

Henry’s eyes jump to Regina, silently questioning whether or not she’s ready for someone else to know they’re back in Storybrooke, and whether going to the diner for dinner is a good idea. 

“Everyone’s going to find out eventually,” she responds too easily and finishes her last sip of tea.

She sees how he turns his attention to Ella, then Lucy, then Zelena, wondering how they feel about Granny’s for dinner, but she can also sense some kind of worry for her that he’s wondering if they’re feeling too. “You can all stop that; I’m fine,” Regina glides her fingers over the smooth handle of her mug.

“Stop what?” Zelena lifts an eyebrow, crossing her arms. “Considering everyone’s feelings about what they want to eat? Or considering how the former mayor and queen of this town might be feeling after clearly not wanting to make a huge spectacle of her return before she’s ready to face _everyone_?”

“If this is about the possibility of seeing Emma—” Snow starts but Regina is quick to stop her.

“It’s not,” Regina objects firmly.

“Okay,” Snow concedes, letting it go.

“Does that mean we’re all going to Granny’s?” Henry glances toward her again, his eyes less questioning and holding more of a plea from a son to his mother—willing to go along with whatever she decides but hoping it’ll be what he wants.

“Henry, you’re thir—twenty-seven. You don’t need my permission. If you want to have dinner with Snow, David, and your uncles at Granny’s, you should,” Regina tells him with a tinge of amusement in her voice.

“Mom, you were the one making a big deal about the poofing,” Henry reminds her with an affectionate roll of his eyes. “I was just making sure. And you should come with us,” Henry stands up, making his way around Zelena and over to Regina, resting his hand over her shoulder.

“Maybe,” Regina squeezes his hand.

Henry tightens his grip on her shoulder, before he reaches over to tap Lucy’s arm. “Come on, Luce. Bathroom’s through there and down the hall.”

Ella and Zelena stand up as well, stretching a bit after sitting for so long.

“Feel free to use the other bathroom upstairs,” Snow offers the two women as she washes out one of the mugs she’d carried over to the sink. “Zelena knows where it is.”

“This way,” Zelena catches on to Snow’s hinting and ushers Ella out, directing her toward the stairs.

“So, over twelve years for you and almost seven for us,” Snow shakes her head a minute later, obviously still trying to process everything they’d talked about as she turns the faucet on again, rinsing the blue and white mug with purple flowers painted along the center.

“Including a curse and some time travel on our part,” Regina adds as she finally gets up and walks over to the island with the remaining mugs, placing them on the counter in front of Snow. “I’m convinced that has something to do with my and Zelena’s lack of aging. Though, I don’t understand why it didn’t affect Henry, Ella, and Lucy in the same way.”

“Maybe it has to do with you being a multi-curse caster or both of you having magic,” Snow suggests, earning a nod in agreement from Regina, before a heaviness seems to come over her and she adds more seriously, her voice too quiet, “I almost can’t believe you made it back here at all.”

“There was a time when I wasn’t sure it would be possible. Truthfully, it would never have happened without Zelena’s experience or Rumple’s help,” Regina tells her matter-of-factly, fidgeting with the sleeve of the burgundy blouse she’s wearing underneath one of Roni’s black leather jackets she’d been unable to part with. “There are so many reasons I never thought I’d be truly grateful to him, but after seeing how glad Henry is to be back here and you meeting Lucy and Ella…I’m thankful it all worked out.”

“Me too,” Snow smiles, her eyes shining with tears. “Nothing’s really felt the same since you left. A big chunk of this family was missing.”

“I know. I’m sorry,” Regina says and means it as much as she can. She doesn’t regret her choice to stay with Henry, but she does feel badly about leaving part of her family behind. “Henry needed me—I needed him. And then, Lucy came along.”

“And then, you were cursed.” Snow rinses the last mug, then dries off her hands and moves to the other side of the island to take Regina’s hand in hers with a gentle squeeze. “I understand.”

Regina shakes her head. “And I couldn’t be here, Snow. Not without Henry. Not when they—I didn’t know how I fit in her life anymore. I wanted her to have a real chance to be happy.”

“I know,” Snow squeezes her hand again, then releases it.

“But she wasn’t?” Regina wonders before she can stop herself.

Snow’s forehead creases as she thinks it over. Her eyes are conflicted during her obvious debate with herself about what she wants to reveal and what it is her place to. “She’s—tried to be. So much hasn’t been easy for her.”

Regina’s stomach twists at that and she pulls in a heavy breath.

“But it hasn’t been all bad,” Snow offers with a hint of a smile. “And I believe the good things—they’ve come to outweigh the bad. Perhaps, even more so now that you and Henry are back.” 

“Emma chose this—not us. She made her own decisions,” Regina retorts feeling little sympathy as hurt and bitterness begin to whirl and burn within her.

“She did,” Snow agrees. “And she’s lived with them. But that doesn’t mean—you really do need to see her, Regina. There’s so much…”

Regina reads something in Snow’s eyes then. It’s dark and too melancholy and remorseful to only be about any regret Emma could have experienced by staying in her marriage and letting Regina go. She’s certain that’s a part of what Snow means, but it’s far from all that the other woman is alluding to.

“She tried to find you. Desperately,” Snow reveals as her eyes become glassier, and Regina can see the pain etched across her face. “Sometimes things end up so wrong, it kills you to think that they may never have even the smallest chance to be made right.”

Just as her lips part to question what exactly Snow is referring to, Lucy hurries into the kitchen with Henry right behind her, startling them both. Henry must notice the heaviness between them immediately, because he lays his hands over Lucy’s shoulders gently tugging her back a step before she inserts herself between the two women. Regina clears her throat, blinking away any remaining tears in her eyes, while Snow does her best to force a smile after swiping at her cheek.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt,” Henry offers with a quick smile, his eyes shifting from his mother to his grandmother with concern.

“It’s fine,” Regina assures, running her hand affectionately along Lucy’s arm.

Lucy’s eyes are worried and the smile she gives Regina is comforting, obviously seeing the storm of emotions that must be playing across her face in the same way they are swirling within her.

“Whose room is that at the end of the hallway with the dollhouse and superhero tent? I love the purple walls,” Lucy’s gaze shifts to Snow with her sudden question.

“Lucy,” Henry scolds lightly. “Don’t be nosey.”

“I was just wondering if we could get the same purple paint for my new room when I get one.”

“Oh,” Snow exhales like she’s just realized Lucy is standing in front of her, waiting for an answer to the question that was directed at her, and hurries to force another smile. “It’s regal purple, actually. It’s my granddaughter’s room. Emma’s daughter’s. When she stays here. She picked out the color by herself a few months ago. It used to be a pale yellow with a teddy bear border but she’s six now and said it was for babies.”

“Emma’s daughter? So, my…aunt?” Lucy’s nose scrunches as she thinks it over and looks over her shoulder at Henry for confirmation.

“Yeah,” Henry exhales with a mix of his own confusion and uncertainty about the situation, since Emma and her child hadn’t really been brought up at all during their conversation at the table. “My half-sister…? Would be your aunt.”

“Cool but also weird,” Lucy says honestly, her wrinkled forehead becoming smooth as she shrugs a shoulder. “Well, anyway, she has great taste.”

“That she does,” Snow smiles. “She’s going to love you, Lucy.”

“Nan, are you coming to Granny’s?”

The question catches Regina slightly off guard because she’s honestly forgotten all about dinner at this point, but she recovers quickly, taking Lucy’s hand in hers. “I am. Who else is going to make sure your father eats something with some kind of nutritional value?”

“Oh, so I’m free to go out to eat with my grandparents if I want to, but you still have a say in what I eat?” Henry’s eyes are filled with amusement as he smirks at her, but the bit of a nudge he gives Regina tells her he knows she’s far from okay.

“You can eat whatever you want…as long as there’s something healthy included that isn’t going to clog your arteries. That’s unlikely to happen if I’m not there,” Regina tells him, but sends him a smile that she hopes he can see her gratefulness to him in.

“Always going to be my mom,” Henry mutters in Lucy’s direction but there’s a soft smile raising his lips.

“Always,” Regina repeats.

“Ready to go?” Ella asks from the doorway that separates the kitchen from the small hallway.

“Ready!” Lucy calls, and tugs on Regina’s hand, so she’ll follow her.

“We’ll be by the car,” Henry grins, wrapping an arm around Ella as he heads out of the room. “Granny isn’t going to believe her eyes.”

“Wait until she sees your offspring,” Zelena smirks as they pass her, then she’s poking her head into the room, blocking Regina and Lucy’s exit. “Snow,” she gets the other woman’s attention, her expression becoming conflicted. “Those pictures upstairs. The last time I saw her, she was a baby, but Emma’s daughter looks freakishly like—”

“Her mother! Right?! She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” Snow hurries to say, causing Zelena’s already troubled face to become further shadowed with the frown that settles on her lips.

Regina eyes her sister curiously, looking back at Snow to notice how she and Zelena are having a very tense, silent conversation. There’s warning and pleading in Snow’s expression—some kind of argument—and Zelena argues back. As Regina turns to stare up at her sister, piercing blue eyes appear to dull and concede.

“Fuck,” Zelena curses under her breath, seeming so overwhelmed, that she doesn’t apologize to Lucy or look at Regina, before she’s turning away and storming out of the house.

“What was that about?” Regina glances back at Snow.

“I just need to grab my keys,” Snow tells her after a beat, ignoring the question, and leaving the room.

Regina imagines her eyes must hold the same amount of confusion that Lucy’s do as they look up at her.

**

Snow leads them into the diner as the bell rings above the door, announcing their presence. Regina immediately notices how nothing has really changed. The warm, homey smells of pancakes, coffee, French fries, and Granny’s lasagna waft through the air, coming together in a way that entices appetites, instead of being repulsive as such a mix of different foods probably should be. There’s the rumble of low chattering and soft music that plays overhead. The familiarity is welcoming, and embraces them in a way that has Regina’s eyes burning. She blinks quickly, forcing herself to skim over the room once more, taking in the rush around them, the sizzling sounds coming from the kitchen, and the many booths and seats at the counter that are filled with patrons. It’s dinnertime and busier than usual. That doesn’t stop them from hearing Granny’s booming voice echo from the counter as she calls to one of her servers that a table’s order is up.

“I’ve missed this place,” Henry comments from beside her and she can hear the sentimental smile in his voice. “Can’t wait to have a burger, fries, and a milkshake. No one else’s cooking compares.”

He’s talking to Lucy now, but Regina turns around and pins him with a glare. “Excuse me?”

“I _meant_ …Granny’s has the best food when it comes to dining out. We all know your cooking is superior to everyone else’s, Mom,” Henry rolls his eyes with a grin. “Right, Luce?”

“Right,” Lucy agrees with an emphatic nod as Henry squeezes her shoulder. “Queen of the Kitchen.”

“Not that you’ve ever made me burgers, fries, or shakes,” Henry mutters and Lucy giggles.

“Well, I wasn’t going to spoil you with junk food when you always had it when we came here.”

“Hey,” Henry gasps. “Burgers are _not_ junk food.”

Snow chuckles from in front of them, peering at them over her shoulder. “You sound exactly like someone else I know.”

There’s no doubt about who she’s referring to. It catches Regina in a place that makes her stomach twist, while her lips want to twitch with the memories of Emma adamantly defending her meal choices to Regina time and time again. Eventually, she’d gotten Emma to eat at least one serving of vegetables with her lunch or dinner whenever they’d get together at Granny’s, which was an accomplishment that Regina had been proud of back then.

Regina catches the sadness that comes into Henry’s eyes, his shoulders fall a little, but he offers his grandmother a small, knowing smile. “What can I say? I still take after both of them.”

 “For better or worse,” Zelena grumbles teasingly, stepping forward to remind them that they’ve come to Granny’s to eat and not just stand in the doorway. “Where do you want to sit, Luce?”

            Lucy scans the diner, thinking it over. Just as she points to an empty booth on the right side that appears quiet enough but also not all the way in the corner, Granny is walking up to them, eyes as wide as the smile that takes over her face. 

            “Oh my—Henry? Regina!” Her hand moves to her chest before she’s reaching out for the man she’d known from the time Regina had adopted him and brought her baby son into the diner. His arms open immediately, hugging the older woman tight. When they pull away, tears are sitting in both of their eyes. “Look at you!” His smile is boyish and shy as she looks him over, proudly taking in the appearance of the man he’s become. “Regina, your boy is all grown up. I swear it was just yesterday that you ordered me to buy that highchair we ended up keeping around just for him.”

“Can you believe it?” Regina says, sounding almost as stunned as Granny does at how time has flown by. The two women move to hug each other. “One day he’s reading comics and asking me how to pronounce most of the words, the next…” She trails off as they pull apart. “I hope you’ve been well.”

“I have,” Granny smiles, and for the first time Regina notices the signs that almost another decade has passed in the deeper wrinkles on her face, the white hair that has replaced most of the gray, and a frailness that had only just begun to be noticeable when Regina had left. Yet, the woman’s spirit and innate strength have not been compromised in the slightest by age.

“Granny,” Henry interrupts them, wrapping an arm around Lucy shoulders. “This is my daughter, Lucy.”

“Henry! You’re a father?” He nods at that. “She’s beautiful.”

“She’s heard a lot about you. Couldn’t wait to come over here to meet you and try the food.”

“Especially, the desserts!” Lucy adds excitedly. “Dad said you make great sundaes and pies.”

“I can’t argue with that,” Granny grins down at her. “It’s nice to meet you, Lucy.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” Lucy shakes Granny’s hand, but then moves in for a hug.

“Gosh, I remember when your dad was around your age,” Granny shakes her head with a fond smile. “He was sweet—a great kid,” She bends over a little, cupping her mouth with her hand to muffle her words. “But sometimes a handful for his mothers.” Granny winks and rises to meet Henry’s eyes. His mouth is slightly agape.

“I-I’m not going to deny that,” he stammers after a beat. “But have you met them? As far as moms go, _they_ were a handful. It took one of them about a year to believe me about the curse. _And_ I had to eat my other mom’s poisoned turnover first.”

Lucy bends her head up to look at her dad and rolls her eyes, “Look who’s talking.”

“We’re lucky it took me a while. Needed to find a way to break it without me dying,” Henry runs a hand through her hair. “And hey, at least you didn’t have to make sure your mom and I didn’t purposely kill each other.”

Regina huffs at that, “If I killed Emma, it would have broken my curse, and that was never going to happen.”

“Uh huh,” Henry smirks through his placating. “I won’t bring up the well incident after the curse broke.”

“That was impulsive and a lapse in judgment,” Regina defends. “Ultimately, I saved Emma and Snow.”

“Because of me,” Henry emphasizes but it’s a light retort; more teasing than arguing.

“You’re lucky I love you,” Regina quips in response to Henry and their overall bantering. His words do make her mind travel back through her memories, however, and suddenly she’s wondering how much she’d already started to care for Emma by the time the other woman was coming back from the Enchanted Forest. It makes her question if a part of herself had convinced her to save them just as much as the pleas from her son did.

“Guess I should be glad I only had to awkwardly stop a few kisses,” Lucy concurs after a moment, glancing up at Ella with a grin.

“Yeah, with them, that was the last thing I had to do. But it got better. Eventually,” Henry adds, his gaze briefly catching Regina’s once more.

“Dad, I know. I read your book,” Lucy points out with an exasperated sigh. “By the way, Granny, this is my mom, Ella.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Granny smiles as the two women shake hands.

“Henry mentions you a lot,” Ella reveals with her own bright smile. “I’m glad we’re finally able to meet.”

The door closes behind them, the bell ringing as more people enter the diner.

“Why don’t you all take a seat, and I’ll be over to chat some more when I can,” Granny tells them genially, waving her hand in the direction of the empty booth Lucy had decided on a few minutes ago. “I want to hear all about what you’ve been up to.”

Regina realizes Snow isn’t following them when she’s about halfway to the table. She briefly watches Ella help Lucy into one side of the booth, scooting in beside her, as Zelena slides along the opposite side. Then, she’s turning away and searching for Snow, who is still near the door. Even from there, she notices how the other woman’s forehead is wrinkled and there’s apprehension on her face as she keeps her green eyes focused on the door—or really, on whoever she sees on the other side of the glass. Snow must feel Regina’s gaze on her, because her eyes drift from what they’re looking at outside over to Regina’s, locking on hers.

Regina feels her heart stop and her stomach sink. She immediately lifts a hand to her middle, keeping herself together…or trying to. She’s not ready to face Emma, but she can see it on Snow’s face. She’s about to have no choice.  Maybe coming to the diner was a mistake. Though, she suspects staying at Snow’s would have only given her another hour or two before Emma had probably shown up. She forces herself to take a shaky breath. There’s confusion and worry in Henry’s voice as he says, “Mom,” from behind her, and then Snow is holding up a hand in a way that is both a command and a plea. She exits the diner, while Regina’s eyes travel to the window, where she can see Snow blocking Emma from moving further up the walkway.

Regina can only see the golden waves of Emma’s hair that fall a few inches past the tops of her shoulders. It’s much shorter than it was the last time they’d seen each other and nowhere near as limp and straight as she remembers. Emma takes a step back but reaches out for Snow, and then Snow is guiding her over to one of the chairs by the outdoor tables. Regina looks away, then. Her troubled eyes find Henry’s, and she can see he knows exactly what’s going on.

She stands there unable to move, until Henry walks over to her, resting a supportive hand on her back. “It’s just Emma. It’ll be fine.”

Regina swallows thickly, closing her eyes, and pulls in a steadying breath. “Just Emma,” she murmurs, but the two words sound too heavy to convince her that anything about this is _just_ anything. If she’s honest, nothing had ever been _just_ when it came to Emma; it was always everything. Seething words, playful smirks, root beer and grilled cheese lunches, banter that bordered on flirtation, charged magic lessons, tentative electric touches, all-consuming looks, one night together that replayed in her mind for years until cursed memories caused her to temporarily forget…Emma was everything. They were.

 But Henry’s beside her and he’s her rock. He grounds her. Though, she can tell that in this moment, she’s grounding him just as much. She senses his nerves—this isn’t easy for him either—but there’s also the hint of confidence and strong belief in him that things will work out. They’ll get through this, even if it’s not easy and perfect.

There’s a moment where she’s about to suggest that they go outside and join Emma and Snow where it’s quiet and they’ll have a bit more privacy. She goes so far as to lay her hand on Henry’s back, ready to usher him forward, but then she notices a flash of movement outside as Emma gets up and pushes past Snow, rushing up the sidewalk and steps.

The bell jingles above the door as Emma throws it open and hastily crosses the threshold into the diner. Her breathing is heavy and her face is pale with disbelief and shock. Snow catches up, carefully closing the door behind them; her expression mixed with worry and compassion, knowing the magnitude of this moment.

The rest of the diner fades away as Emma steps forward, seeking out her family and finding them almost immediately. Her green eyes widen before they become consumed by too many emotions. Regina can see the tears that glisten in them as they catch the light pouring down from above them. Her own eyes are wet and hot. She doesn’t know what to do or how to move. They stand at opposite ends of the diner. Frozen.

Eventually, Emma seems to regain some composure and control. She takes a step in their direction as a tentative smile slowly lifts her lips. It’s too heavy, remorseful, and apologetic at first, but then there’s relief and happiness that make it brighten as much as it can in that moment, even as it wavers at its edges.

Regina feels Henry’s hand tremble against her back before he slides it around her side, holding her tight, steadying both of them.

Emma is closer now; almost two feet away. Their eyes haven’t left each other’s except for the moments Emma’s had looked to Henry’s. They hold each other now. So many emotions, words, years.

            Then, glassy, green eyes lift to Henry once more. He let’s go of Regina and steps forward at the same time Emma reaches up and rests her palms on his cheeks. “Henry,” she breathes, and it catches in a quiet sob. “Henry.” She says it again with less disbelief but the same amount of reverence as a few tears slip from her eyes.

            “Emma,” He smiles through his own tears, reaching out to hug her as her face finally crumples with the weight of everything she’s feeling.

            Regina sees how Emma falls into their embrace; the way her eyes close tight and relief and longing pour out of every part of her at being reunited with the son she’d said goodbye to so many years ago. And though it was Emma’s choice to come back to Storybrooke, there’s no mistaking how much she’s missed him and loved him all of this time. Emma shifts to lean her forehead against his shoulder, and Regina doesn’t miss the way she shakes in Henry’s arms or how he somehow manages to hold her even tighter.

It sobers Regina enough to make the room around them come back into focus, her eyes sweeping from one corner to the next. Most of the diner’s customers haven’t noticed, but some people are staring, especially the ones closest to them.

This is wrong.

There are too many people. Too much noise. This isn’t how their first meeting should be. Then again, when has anything ever gone the way it should? Knowing they deserve more privacy in this moment, Regina lifts her arms.

They fade away with the smoke and reappear outside. Hardly anyone is around. The sun is setting and the sky looks like fire with purple and dark blue beginning to move toward it and touch its edges, ready to snuff out the orange and pink that continue to glow with the sun’s bright blaze.

            Emma and Henry hold each other for a few more moments before they step back, their hands automatically grasping each other’s once they’ve parted.

            Both of them give a watery chuckle, like it’s finally sinking in that they’re both actually standing in front of the other and all of it is real. “You’re here,” Emma’s chin quivers through a soft smile that aches with happiness and relief.

            “Yeah. I am. We are,” Henry lets go of one of her hands to swipe at his wet cheeks and watery eyes. “We came home.”

            That causes Emma to run her hand along his arm as her other hand squeezes the one she’s holding. She then turns to see Regina watching them from a couple of feet away. The way Emma looks at her makes Regina ache; her eyes say so many things, some of which Regina understands there aren’t words for. There’s so much history, hurt, yearning, love, and time. Far too much time—lost but lived. Time that makes it easier to forget but harder to forgive as old wounds become tender and years old rejection tries to sour the moment.

But then Emma’s lips lift hesitantly and she steps tentatively towards Regina, her eyes searching and questioning. Regina answers them by bowing her head, consenting, as hot tears slip down her cheeks. It’s been so many years. So many unspoken words; pent up emotions. So much missing; longing; grieving; waiting; hoping. And now there’s affirmation that it hasn’t been one-sided. And maybe this isn’t right. Perhaps, there should be anger. Ice. Indifference. Perhaps, she should slip a mask on or pull up the walls that can easily keep Emma out. But it’s been over a decade for her and close to that many years for Emma, and she’s tired; exhausted. She can see they both are. Now is not the time to fight or push the other away. And so, she allows what every part of her is tingling with longing for. The moment of closeness that she needs—they need. The one they never got to have before Emma turned and walked through a portal. The one that would have hurt too much; asked for too much; hoped for too much.

 Emma’s arms reach out and wrap around her, pulling Regina in as Regina slips her arms around Emma.

There are a few moments where they’re thinking too much, and it’s unsure and awkward. But then, a shuddery breath leaves Regina’s mouth after she chokes back a sob, and she feels Emma tremble against her, bringing her impossibly closer. Regina’s head turns into Emma’s neck and Emma rests her head against hers—both of them holding and clutching onto each other like they’re the other’s lifeline.

Time slowly fades away. Erases itself. Until it feels like no time has passed at all.

They fall into the familiarity; melt into the comfort and warmth that embraces them fully, and makes them feel like whatever piece was missing is finally back in place.

            “Emma—” Regina breathes, but allows the silence to drift over them once more. Grasping on to this moment where they can just fall into each other and exist together without any complications or heartache.

            Regina doesn’t know how long they stand there holding each other, but eventually, the faint jingle of the bell as the door to Granny’s opens and closes pulls them from their bubble. They reluctantly move back, their arms falling away from each other so slowly Regina wonders if they would have ever separated if they hadn’t been interrupted.

            “Everything ok out here?” Snow’s voice asks from several feet away, causing Regina’s eyes to tear away from the emerald ones that are as wet and red-rimmed as her own must be. She can make out Snow and the fiery curls of her sister’s red hair as the two women remain on the steps to the diner. There should probably be a sarcastic remark or biting response on Regina’s tongue, because, really, how can Snow expect everything to be okay? But strangely—or maybe not so strangely—Regina doesn’t have any words, much less something sharp to direct at the women who have been her sisters.

            “Yeah, fine,” Henry finally manages to answer for them, though Regina can hear how it comes out strangled with too much emotion clinging to it.

Her blurry vision clears as she blinks away a few more tears, then clears her throat, before reaching up to wipe away whatever tears are still on her cheeks. Emma does the same but not before one of her hands is finding Regina’s confidently but so gently that Regina’s heart skips a beat, swells, then shatters. Her focus moves back to the woman only inches away from her.

“Emma—” Her voice is as soft as Emma’s touch is gentle but there’s still a fierce plea to it; the hint of a warning, because there’s a past they both remember and one that was lived apart and a future that they can’t move toward…or at least not yet. There are so many pages that they have to fill in for each other. So many things that were left unsettled without any resolve or closure. So much that needs explanation, understanding, forgiveness, if any of that can even be earned.

“Regina—” Emma murmurs, and it’s just as hushed and pleading but it lacks the trepidation that had been in Regina’s voice.

“We—we can’t,” Regina stammers, trying to grasp onto some amount of composure and clarity. “ _I_ can’t. Not yet.”

“We need to talk,” Emma says, her eyes beseeching, needing.

“Emma, it’s been close to thirteen years,” Regina counters, louder. She sees Emma’s eyes widen and confusion draws lines across her forehead, but there’s a part of her that must understand time has passed differently for Regina and Henry because she doesn’t question it out loud. “You walked away from us. From _me_. Where’s your husband? Your child?”

Emma flinches but doesn’t seem surprised by the accusatory tone that slices with Regina’s words nor the implications within them. Lithe fingers tighten around Regina’s briefly before Emma lets go of her hand. Regina’s eyes travel to where Emma’s left hand falls, now empty, her brow knitting when she realizes that Emma’s fingers are also bare. The sparkling engagement ring and band of white gold that had once made Regina’s stomach sink whenever their sparkling glint caught her attention are gone from the finger they used to hug.

Her eyes move upward to find Emma’s again as the pale fingers of the other woman begin to fidget and she sticks them into the pockets of her slate gray leather jacket. “Like you said,” Emma gives a small shrug and a quirk of a sad smile that drops her lips as quickly as it had tugged them up. “It’s been thirteen…or I guess, six years here.”

Regina eyes her intently, searching to find some key to understanding as countless questions whirl through her mind and join the ones that had gone unanswered for a long time.

“Regina, please,” Emma starts again, “we really need to talk.”

But just as Regina acquiesces with a small nod and a barely whispered _okay_ , a car door slams behind her. Then, another. The sound echoes once more, and then, there’s a burst of energy that rushes past her—a nearly four foot blur of colors that Regina eventually makes out to be a deep purple jacket, magenta backpack, and pink hair tie that’s wrapped around loose dark curls, pulling half of them back. The little girl completes her run to Emma with a breathless, giggle, and a squeal of “Mommy!” just as her open arms fly around Emma’s middle, where she nestles her head as they hug each other.

Regina watches the way Emma’s smile grows full and adoring as she looks down at the girl whose head is now tilted up to meet her mother’s gaze. Emma slides her fingers along the edge of her daughter’s forehead in a tender caress as she tucks a loose curl back into place.

“Grandpa let me ride Blaze today! All by myself! Uncle Neal said I did great!”

“All by yourself? Seriously?” Emma exclaims echoing the girl’s excitement as best as she can, though, it only seems slightly forced, because there’s something about the little girl’s energy that is so contagious, even Regina feels a smile trying to creep onto her lips.

It doesn’t get the chance to fully form, however, because the girl turns her head towards Regina, looking past her, seemingly trying to locate who had been in the car with her.

That’s when everything stops again.

Regina’s heart rises to beat in her ears, her stomach rolls (she attempts to settle it with a press of her hand), and her lips part in silent shock. She’s not even sure she hears herself gasp but Emma clearly does. Her troubled eyes catch Regina’s and become understanding, calming, while she silently tells her she’s right in her assumption and that she needs to breathe.

Regina’s gaze darts back to the little girl who continues to look past her. Snow and Zelena’s earlier conversation leaps into her mind. _She looks freakishly like…her mother, doesn’t she?_ And Regina knows now that Snow’s words were true but Emma was not the mother she was referring to. Sure, Emma’s daughter’s nose is a smaller version of hers, and her cheeks are high and full and so much like Emma’s, but her eyes, her lips, the lower half of her face, her thick, dark brown hair, the skin that should be more fair but isn’t, her current expression—Regina feels like she’s staring at the image that used to look back at her from the ornate mirror of her vanity when she was a young girl. It would seem impossible if she hadn’t remembered the stories of babies conceived through magic during sex between two magic-wielding women. Those women had had other proven powerful connections with each other, though. Magical pregnancies can’t happen without…

“Regina,” Emma reaches out to settle a soothing hand over her bent arm, and it startles her out of her thoughts.

“No—” She manages to utter over the contrasting bile and dryness in the back of her throat, shaking Emma off of her. There’s some bitterness to it, more than a pinch of hurt, and betrayal that is sadder than it is dark; but mostly, it sounds tired and lost, even to her. She moves back in one purposeful step, her eyes stormy and sharp with the daggers that pierce Emma’s. Then, there’s a cloud of swirling, purple smoke, and she feels herself swept up and disappearing.


End file.
